Antimicrobial Drugs
1. antimicrobial agents: agents that kill microorganisms or inhibit their growth
2. antibacterials: inhibit cell wall synthesis, alter membrane permeability, inhibit protein synthesis, inhibit nucleic acid
synthesis, and/or interferes with cellular metabolism.
3. types of antimicrobial drugs: antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoan, antihelminthic
4. acquired resistance: When bacteria become resistant to a drug that they were once susceptible to; develops through
mutation or acquiring of new genes
5. antibacterial drug: an antimicrobial drug used to treat a disease caused by bacteria
6. antibiotic: a compound naturally produced by certain molds and bacteria that inhibits the growth of microorganisms
7. antimicrobial: a chemical that inhibits the growth of or kills microorganisms; this includes antibiotics and chemically
synthesized drugs
8. antiviral drug: a drug that interferes with the replication of viruses; all antiviral drugs are chemical synthesized
9. bactericidal drug: an antimicrobial agent that kills bacteria; inhibit cell wall biosynthesis
10. bacteriostatic drug: an antimicrobial drug that inhibits the growth of bacteria
11. broad-spectrum antimicrobial: an antimicrobial that is effective against a wide range of microorganisms, often
including both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria
12. chemotherapeutic agent: a chemical used to treat a disease
13. intrinsic resistance: resistance due to an inherent characteristic of the microorganism
14. narrow-spectrum antimicrobial: an antimicrobial that is effective against a limited range of microorganisms
15. R plasmid: a plasmid that encodes resistance to one or more antimicrobial drugs
16. therapeutic index: a measure expressing the relative toxicity of a chemotherapeutic drug; it is the lowest dose
toxic to the patient divided by the dose used for therapy
17. selective toxicity: this is what distinguishes antibiotics from disinfectants; cause greater harm to microorganisms
than to host
18. features of antimicrobial drugs: selectively toxic for bacteria; bacteriostatic and/or bactericidal; minimize harm to
patient; damage structures present in bacteria NOT present in host
19. antibiotics work together with the _______________________: immune system
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1. antimicrobial agents: agents that kill microorganisms or inhibit their growth
2. antibacterials: inhibit cell wall synthesis, alter membrane permeability, inhibit protein synthesis, inhibit nucleic acid
synthesis, and/or interferes with cellular metabolism.
3. types of antimicrobial drugs: antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoan, antihelminthic
4. acquired resistance: When bacteria become resistant to a drug that they were once susceptible to; develops through
mutation or acquiring of new genes
5. antibacterial drug: an antimicrobial drug used to treat a disease caused by bacteria
6. antibiotic: a compound naturally produced by certain molds and bacteria that inhibits the growth of microorganisms
7. antimicrobial: a chemical that inhibits the growth of or kills microorganisms; this includes antibiotics and chemically
synthesized drugs
8. antiviral drug: a drug that interferes with the replication of viruses; all antiviral drugs are chemical synthesized
9. bactericidal drug: an antimicrobial agent that kills bacteria; inhibit cell wall biosynthesis
10. bacteriostatic drug: an antimicrobial drug that inhibits the growth of bacteria
11. broad-spectrum antimicrobial: an antimicrobial that is effective against a wide range of microorganisms, often
including both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria
12. chemotherapeutic agent: a chemical used to treat a disease
13. intrinsic resistance: resistance due to an inherent characteristic of the microorganism
14. narrow-spectrum antimicrobial: an antimicrobial that is effective against a limited range of microorganisms
15. R plasmid: a plasmid that encodes resistance to one or more antimicrobial drugs
16. therapeutic index: a measure expressing the relative toxicity of a chemotherapeutic drug; it is the lowest dose
toxic to the patient divided by the dose used for therapy
17. selective toxicity: this is what distinguishes antibiotics from disinfectants; cause greater harm to microorganisms
than to host
18. features of antimicrobial drugs: selectively toxic for bacteria; bacteriostatic and/or bactericidal; minimize harm to
patient; damage structures present in bacteria NOT present in host
19. antibiotics work together with the _______________________: immune system
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